Conversion of alkanes, such as propane, to more valuable materials, such as unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or alkenes, for example, acrylic acid and propylene, is highly desired in industry. Propane and propylene are widely produced commercially from oil and natural gas via a variety of widely known processes in oil refineries. Propylene is useful for making a variety of additional downstream products via known commercial processes, and commands a significantly higher price than propane. The vapor phase oxidation of propylene to acrylic acid with air or oxygen, over supported catalysts is well-known in the art and widely commercially practiced.
Catalytic oxidation of propane to acrylic acid and propylene is economically attractive. For example, such approach is economically more attractive than one of production of acrylic acid via a process requiring propylene as a starting material, because of the significant price difference between propane and propylene as starting materials.
Accordingly, disclosed herein are catalytic compositions and methods related thereto useful in the oxidation of alkanes, such as propane, to unsaturated carboxylic acids and/or alkenes.